Amy Van Winkle: FHS graduate volunteers with area elementary school

For nearly nine years Amy Van Winkle has worked with primary students, volunteering in Sue Carr?s first grade classroom at Lincoln for six years, and at Pence Elementary School more than three years.

She volunteers an hour twice a week in Taryn Ryan?s kindergarten class at Pence.

?When I worked with first grade students, some of them could read to me,? said Van Winkle. ?In kindergarten, I read a poem to them and they will try reading a sentence at a time back to me.?

She works with the children during naptime, calling one student at a time to read with her.

?I also go out to recess with the students and play,? she said. ?They like that.?

Van Winkle graduated from Fairfield High School in 2005, and wasn?t sure what direction to take.

Carr knew her through attending First Baptist Church.

?After graduation, one of Amy?s goals has been to give back to her community,? said Carr.

?She volunteered her time in my first grade class, primarily to listen to children read, but she readily participated in other special events as well, including field trips, the Thanksgiving Feast and our Day 100 Celebration,? said Carr. ?At the end of each visit, she also spent recess time with the students, no matter what the weather.?

Van Winkle said she enjoys the field trips and special celebrations.

?I went with a class to Jefferson County Park. The students were learning about animal prints and animal sounds,? she said. ?We went across the swinging bridge.?

She also gets in the spirit of celebrations, donning a hat as children dress up for the Thanksgiving Feast at school.

?We also took students to a play at the civic center,? Van Winkle said.

With a few years of volunteering under her belt, Van Winkle added Community Preschool to her days.

?I work two hours a day, three days a week at the preschool. It?s been at least four or five years that I started there,? she said. ?I play with the kids and help with whatever is needed with the preschool children. Sometimes we read, sometimes we?re outside. I help the teacher.?

Four years ago, she began volunteering at the children?s nursery at Fairfield Friends Church during a women?s Tuesday morning Bible study.

Van Winkle said she likes everything about volunteering in the schools and being with younger children.

?I really enjoy it,? she said.

She noted that she?s worked with children from some of the same families when younger siblings of former students come to kindergarten.

?I see a lot of students around town, and they say hi, and I say hi,? she said. ?It?s fun.?

Van Winkle also holds a job at Fairfield Hy-Vee Food and Drug Store, but recently her 16 hours a week were cut to four hours a week.

Her community-mindedness extends to beautifying the town by picking up litter.

?In nice weather, I like to take walks,? she said. ?So I have a grabber-stick and take a bag and collect trash along my walk.?

She is an avid reader and keeps busy with correspondence, too.

?I mail out 200 Christmas cards,? she said.

And without prompting from anyone at church, Van Winkle has taken it upon herself to send birthday cards in the mail to church members throughout the year.

?I think the post office is glad to see me,? she joked.

Carr nominated Van Winkle for a Friend of Education award last school year, and Van Winkle received that recognition in May.

?The children grew to love Amy and looked forward to her days with them at school,? said Carr. ?Even after students completed first grade, they were excited to spend time with her on the playground in subsequent years.

?Many kids comment about their friend Miss Amy when they see her around town.

?Kids? attachment to Amy is understandable because she is much more than a listening ear,? Carr said in her nomination. ?Although a quiet and reserved young woman, the smiles and encouragement she offers students have meaning greater than words could ever convey.

?As demonstrated by her own life, she knows how to rise above challenges, meet goals and find purpose in every day. Amy has been a role model of kindness and acceptance for my students that few could match,? said Carr.

?When my position changed from that of a classroom teacher [to Title I teacher] Amy was thrilled to continue her volunteer efforts in Mrs. Ryan?s kindergarten classroom. Considering her faithfulness, longevity and dedication to helping children, I believe she is an extremely worthy recipient of the Friend of Education Award,? Carr said.